Firearm magazine safety mechanism

• US 4,291,481 A
• Filed: 03/12/1979
• Issued: 09/29/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert W. Serva
• Original Assignee: Wildey Firearms Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Hillberg, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles T.
• Application Number:
  US06/019,906
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 42/70 A, 42/7, 89/196, 89/195
• US Class Current: 42/70.02
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/36 locking the gun automatically in a safety condition when the magazine is empty or removed F41A17/44 takes precedence

Abstract

A magazine loaded pistol has a safety mechanism for disabling its trigger when its magazine is removed. A disabling member supported for reciprocal sliding movement on the pistol frame extends through and moves within a passageway in the trigger and is retained by the trigger pivot pin. When the magazine is removed the disabling member is biased to a safety position wherein an abutment surface thereon is aligned with a stop surface on the trigger to block trigger movement.

Claims

1. In a firearm having a frame including a magazine well, a magazine releasably retained in the well, a firing mechanism movable between cocked and released positions, a trigger mechanism for releasing the firing mechanism from a cocked position and including a trigger, means supporting the trigger for movement between forward and rearward positions respectively corresponding to cocked and released positions of the firing mechanism, and means for disabling the trigger mechanism to prevent it from releasing the firing mechanism from a cocked position when the magazine is removed from the well, the improvement comprising said trigger having an opening therethrough, said disabling means including a disabling member supported for movement within said opening and relative to said trigger and said frame between safety and off positions, said means for supporting said trigger comprising means for retaining said disabling member, said disabling member in its safety position preventing operation of said trigger mechanism to release said firing mechanism, said disabling member in its off position permitting operation of said trigger mechanism to release said firing mechanism, said disabling member being movable to its off position in response to insertion of a magazine into said magazine well.

2. In a firearm as set forth in claim 1 the further improvement comprising said means for supporting said trigger including a pin supporting said trigger for pivotal movement relative to said frame.

3. In a firearm as set forth in claim 2 the further improvement comprising said disabling member being supported for reciprocal sliding movement relative to said frame and having a slot therein receiving said pin therethrough.

4. In a firearm as set forth in either claim 1 or claim 2 the further improvement comprising said trigger having a stop and said disabling member having an abutment aligned with said stop and blocking movement of said trigger when said disabling member is in its safety position.

5. In a firearm as set forth in claim 4 the further improvement comprising said disabling member having an aperture aligned with said stop and through which said stop may pass when said disabling member is in its off position.

6. In a firearm as set forth in claim 5 the further improvement comprising said trigger having a plurality of parts and said stop is carried by one of said parts and said opening is formed in another of said parts.

7. In a firearm as set forth in claim 1 the further improvement wherein said opening comprises a passageway and said trigger includes a plurality of parts cooperating to define said passageway.

8. In a firearm as set forth in claim 7 the further improvement wherein one of said parts has a pair of spaced apart ears and another of said parts is received between said ears and cooperates with said one part to define said passageway.

9. In a firearm as set forth in either claim 1 or claim 2 the further improvement comprising means for biasing said disabling member in the direction of said magazine well and toward said safety position wherein an end portion of said disabling member is disposed within said magazine well, said disabling member being movable to its off position in response to insertion of a magazine into said well and being retained in said off position by said magazine positioned in said well.

10. In a firearm as set forth in claim 9 the further improvement wherein said trigger is supported for pivotal movement relative to said frame by said supporting means and said disabling member is supported for reciprocal sliding movement relative to said frame.

11. In a firearm as set forth in claim 10 wherein said pistol includes a receiver releasably retained in assembly with said frame, said receiver and said frame define opposing guide surfaces, and said disabling member has slide surfaces thereon respectively engaging said guide surfaces and supporting said disabling member for reciprocal sliding movement relative to said frame.

12. A firearm comprising a frame including a magazine well, a magazine releasably retained in the well, a firing mechanism movable between cocked and released conditions, a trigger mechanism for releasing the firing mechanism from a cocked condition and including a trigger member, means supporting the trigger member for movement between forward and rearward positions respectively corresponding to cocked and released conditions of the firing mechanism, means for disabling the trigger mechanism to prevent it from releasing the firing mechanism from a cocked condition when the magazine is removed from the well and including a disabling member supported for movement between safety and off positions, said disabling member in its safety position preventing operation of said trigger mechanism to release said firing mechanism, said disabling member in its off position permitting operation of said trigger mechanism to release said firing mechanism, said disabling member being movable to its off position in response to insertion of a magazine into said magazine well, and a single means for supporting the members comprising said trigger member and said disabling member for movement between said positions.

13. A firearm as set forth in claim 12 wherein said single means comprises a pivot pin supporting said trigger member for pivotal movement relative to the frame and retaining said disabling member for reciprocal sliding movement relative to the frame.

14. A firearm as set forth in either claim 12 or claim 13 wherein one of said members has an opening therethrough and the other of said members is supported for movement within said opening.

15. In a firearm having a frame including a magazine well, a magazine releasably retained in the well, a firing mechanism movable between cocked and released positions, a trigger mechanism for releasing the firing mechanism from a cocked position and including a trigger, a pivot pin supporting the trigger for pivotal movement between forward and rearward positions respectively corresponding to cocked and released positions of the firing mechanism, and means for disabling the trigger mechanism to prevent it from releasing the firing mechanism from a cocked position when the magazine is removed from the well, the improvement comprising said trigger having a plurality of parts, one of said parts having a pair of spaced apart portions and another of said parts received between said spaced apart portions and cooperating with said one part to define a passageway through said trigger, said disabling means including a disabling member having a slot therein receiving said pivot pin therethrough and supported for reciprocal sliding movement within said passageway and relative to said trigger and said frame between safety and off positions, said disabling member in its safety position preventing operation of said trigger mechanism to release said firing mechanism, said disabling member in its off position permitting operation of said trigger mechanism to release said firing mechanism, said disabling member being movable to its off position in response to insertion of a magazine into said magazine well.

16. In a firearm as set forth in claim 15 the further improvement wherein one of said parts has a stop and said disabling member has an abutment disposed in the path of said stop when said disabling member is in its safety position and an aperture aligned with said stop and through which said stop may pass when said disabling member is in its off position.